Home › Archives for November 2011

Is it safe to feed the birds out in the open?

Because of the snow last night, the tree directly behind my apartment snapped at the base and is completely unsalvageable. My birds had been using that tree and a congregating/roosting spot. Should I still feed “my” birds even though they will now have limited cover? I have a huge bush about 50 feet away, but will that...
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Photographing Snow

Wilson Alwyn Bentley (1865-1931) was frustrated by his inability to sketch the snow crystals that he was examining on his microscope before they melted. At the age of seventeen he decided to learn how to use a relatively new device called a camera. Finally in 1884, after two years of trial and error, Wilson "Snowflake"...
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Wild Birds Unlimited has best birdfeeders

I want to buy the best bird feeder as a gift. What do you suggest? There are a lot of feeders to choose from. With over 25 years of research and experience, Wild Birds Unlimited® is proud to offer you the highest-quality birdfeeders and birdfeeding equipment on the market today. Any feeder you choose should be easy to...
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Why should we care about birds?

How is Wild Birds Unlimited still in business? Does anyone even care about wild birds? All they do is poop all over the place. ~  twitter.com/kevin2110 Scientists believe that modern humans arose about 200,000 years ago, but only reaching recognizable behavioral traits about 50,000 years ago. While modern birds...
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Plain, little, brown striped bird that looks similar to a sparrow

Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: Finches (Fringillidae)Description The adult male Pine Siskin is grayish brown with conspicuous brown striping. The wing and base of the tail have conspicuous yellow trimming. The Siskin is about 4.5 to 5.25 inches long, and weighs about 12g (1.5 oz). Behavior Pine...
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Will bluebirds eat grubs from my compost bin?

Bluebirds belong to the thrush family, Turidae, whose members are known for their singing ability and their appetite for creepy crawlies. The Turidae family is comprised of 19 species including the popular American Robin and three distinct species of bluebirds; the Eastern, Western and the Mountain Bluebird. Most people...
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Edible ornaments for the birds

My little helper.While you are enjoying the many tasty treats that abound this holiday season, don't forget to share some goodies with the birds. Decorating a tree for our feathered friends and other wildlife is an activity the whole family can enjoy.  One of my favorite crafts is a pinecone dipped...
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What to feed turkeys

This may be a funny question to ask on Thanksgiving but, we have a Wild Turkey visiting our bird feeder and I’d like to feed her. She’s interesting to watch. What do they prefer to eat?Turkeys are fun to observe! Wild turkeys like open areas for feeding, mating and habitat. They use forested areas as cover from...
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Happy Holidays to You and Your Family

Like most people, the holidays make us reflect on the people who mean the most to us. We at Wild Birds Unlimited would like to take this opportunity to thank you for continuing to support our small stores.We hope you and your loved ones have time to enjoy one another and the the wildlife around you during this special...
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Hummingbird in the Snow

Hello, I live in Canal Winchester, Ohio and still have 2 maybe 3 Hummingbirds that are still here.  I thought 4 weeks ago they were stragglers but can tell since I have kept the feeders up  they are the same ones.  I have one that is red necked another that has white on his neck and belly and another that...
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No birds at the feeders

I have two feeders out all year, three come winter, plus suet, a ground feeder for chipmunks and squirrels (which often is bypassed for the hanging feeders), and a heated water bowl. I deal with the hawks that are around, and chalk it up to nature if they take a bird, and only once had a hawk feast on my roof with a squirrel...
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Turkey Trivia: Fun Facts about the American bird

• The turkey was Benjamin Franklin's choice for the United State’s national bird.• Today, wild turkeys are being reintroduced into many areas across the USA. Overhunting and the disappearance of their favored woodland habitat has resulted in the decline in turkey populations. •According to Wikipediathere are six subspecies...
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Will the hawk eat all my birds?

I have just witnessed a hawk fly right by me when I was filling water for the birds in my yard yesterday afternoon.  That same morning I saw it fly by my shepherd hook birdfeeder and all the birds and squirrels ran or flew off.  The hawk appeared to swoop down further down my yard where I couldn't see from my...
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Funny Squirrel days at the feeder

Sarah, I thought you would appreciate these photos for your Friday Photo. I looked up and saw this magnificent hawk sitting on the feeder with a squirrel eating oblivious to any problem ahead of him. I took the picture through the window. The flash on the camera went off for the first two photos but he allowed a third...
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Best field guide for Michigan birds

Birds of Michigan By Ted Black and Greg Kennedy360 pages, 5.50" x 8.50", paperbackThis is a wonderful book for beginning or advanced bird watchers in Michigan. It has detailed illustrations of 302 bird species with specifications of their size and any unique markings. It includes descriptions of the birds’ habitat,...
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Question about House Wren Migration

From your web site I see you may be willing to answer a question. Raking up the final (hopefully) leaves of fall today, Sunday, November 13th, I still have my summer house wren angrily complaining of my presence in his yard. I would thought he would have started south by now. Is he just enjoying the warm fall and leaving...
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Do birds like dried mealworms?

Will the birds that like live mealy worms also be attracted to the dried variety?Mealworms-Another treat to attract wild birds.Feeding live mealworms (Tenebrio monitor) as a special treat has become a very popular way to attract a different variety of wild birds.Mealworms are the larvae of a beetle with a high protein...
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Will a turkey drown if he looks up in the rain?

My grandpa is a farmer and he told me last year that a turkey is so stupid it will drown in the rain if he looks up. He said when it starts to rain they look up and water goes down their throats and they will drown. I told him we have wild turkeys that come by our house in Southampton and when it rains they just go under...
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